The US Senate has approved the nomination of Indian-origin Kash Patel as the head of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). On Thursday, the Republican-controlled upper house of Congress approved the nomination of US President Donald Trump.
Kash Patel, 44, is known as a very loyal person to Trump. His appointment to the top position of one of the most important law enforcement agencies in the US was finalized amid increasing unrest.
Although known as Kash Patel, his full name is Kashyap Pramod Vinod Patel. He was born in New York City, USA. His parents came to the US from Gujarat, India as immigrants. Kash Patel graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in Criminal Justice and History. He also studied at Pace University and University College London.
Kash Patel joined the US administration in 2019 during Trump’s first term. He rose rapidly in the Trump administration. According to some media reports, Cash Patel’s rise to power was due to his complete loyalty to Trump.
Cash Patel’s nomination was approved by a vote of 51-49 in the Senate. All Democratic senators voted against him. They were joined in the vote by two moderate Republican members of the Senate, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski.
The two Republican senators expressed concerns about Cash Patel’s political advocacy for Trump in the past and its potential impact on the FBI’s operations.
On the other hand, Republicans supporting Cash Patel argue that public trust in the FBI has eroded. Cash Patel will reform the agency.
Democrats strongly oppose Cash Patel’s nomination. They say he has called for retaliation against Trump’s critics in the past, making him unfit to lead the FBI.